Reacting sharply to the statement of Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar where he had claimed that Pakistan is a respected nation and India should start a dialogue with them, Union Minister Giriraj Singh alleged that the former is speaking the “language of Pakistan”.
The BJP leader also accused the Congress of speaking the “language of terrorists”.
“Rahul Gandhi, Congress, Mani Shankar Aiyar are speaking the language of Pakistan, the country which is reeling under severe economic conditions. I would like to say that Congress should leave this dual policy, India is so powerful that if anyone casts an eye over us, Pakistan will no longer be there. He is speaking the language of Farooq Abdullah, of Pakistan. Congress speaks the language of Pakistan, of terrorists,” the BJP leader told ANI.
BJP MP and party’s candidate from Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat Ravi Kishan told ANI “At this time Pakistan is collecting foodgrains for itself. They are facing a food crisis…Mani Shankar Aiyar should get himself treated somewhere. This is not the India of Congress. Now, India is very powerful. This is the India of Prime Minister Narendra Modi…”
Earlier, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar had once again courted controversy after an interview clip of his went viral, in the clip Aiyar says that Pakistan is a respected nation that also possesses an atom bomb so India must enter into a dialogue with them.
Aiyar further said there have been no efforts from India to reach out to Pakistan in the last ten years.
In an interview with Chill Pill on April 15, Mani Shankar Aiyar said, “They are also a sovereign country (Pakistan). They are a respected nation. You can talk tough with them (Pakistan). But start the dialogue. You are walking with a gun which yielded you nothing. Tensions are escalating. And if a mad person comes there, what will happen to the nation? They have an atom bomb. We also possess the atomic bomb. But if a mad person detonates our bomb at Lahore station, so within eight seconds, eight moments, its radioactivity will reach Amritsar”.
He added: “So you should prevent the use of atomic bombs. But, if you start a dialogue with them (Pakistan) and encourage them (by considering them as), then they should start thinking about their atomic bomb. But if you snub them, then a mad person will come and detonate the bomb. Then what will happen?”
Earlier on May 5, responding to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remark that “PoK will be merged with India,” Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said that Pakistan is not wearing bangles and also has atom bombs that they would use.
“If the defence minister is saying it, then go ahead. Who are we to stop? But remember, they (Pakistan) are also not wearing bangles. It has atom bombs, and unfortunately, that atom bomb will fall on us,” he said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had earlier asserted that considering the development taking place in India, the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) will themselves demand to be with India.